Jesus did not heal the sick by His praying, He healed them by His authority, by His word of command. With this centurion, Jesus spoke the word – the centurion believed, went home and his servant was healed.
In verse 16, when the evening was come they brought Him many that were possessed with devils – and he cast out the spirits with His word! And He healed all that were sick, probably including the sceptics and unbelievers! Jesus healed to demonstrate His authority, not just to test the faith or spiritual level of the cripples. When I minister, I do not actually pray for the sick, but I command the sickness to go. My praying comes first before I even start to minister. I need to fast and pray to receive the faith that comes through the Holy Spirit and to receive my authority for the healing miracles that follow.
I take my authority directly from God and from His Word. This is what the Roman officer understood, that Jesus was a man like himself who had been given authority. The centurion’s authority was over men – Jesus’ authority was over the devil, sin and sickness.
How Jesus Healed the Sick: Authority vs. Prayer
Jesus did not heal the sick by praying for them; He healed them by His authority and His word of command. In the biblical account of the Roman centurion, Jesus simply spoke the word, the centurion believed, and the servant was healed at home.
Matthew 8:16 demonstrates this consistent pattern: when evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to Him, and He cast out the spirits with a word. Jesus healed all who were sick – likely including skeptics and unbelievers – to demonstrate His divine authority, rather than to merely test the faith or spiritual level of those suffering.
The Difference Between Praying for the Sick and Commanding Healing
Effective healing ministry relies on commanding the sickness to leave rather than praying for it to go. The spiritual preparation happens before the ministry begins:
Pre-Ministry Preparation: Fasting and prayer are essential to receive faith through the Holy Spirit and to align with divine authority.
The Act of Ministry: During ministry, the practitioner does not pray for the sick but actively commands the disease or infirmity to leave.
Understanding Spiritual Authority
Spiritual authority is taken directly from God and His Word. This mirrors the concept of authority understood by the Roman centurion:
Secular Authority: The centurion held authority over men within a military hierarchy.
Divine Authority: Jesus possesses authority over the devil, sin, and sickness.
Ministers of healing operate under this same divine hierarchy, using the authority granted by God to command physical and spiritual restoration.